Inflated ball



Sept, 16, 1941. v M. B. REACH Re. 21,901-

INFLATED BALL Original Filed April 2, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet i M. B. REACHINFLATED BALL Sept. 16, 1941.

Original'iilad 'Apfil 2, 1936 2 Shuts-Sheet 2 ilfon B. Reach l -Reissue!Sept. 16, 1941 i lumrso ,sTA'rss PATENT" OFFICE a A muwnnsu'spinsaslainnz jlu Original is; amass- M is, use, flerlalNo."I2,39'l,April,1,1l36. 15,1940. Ap lication, is: rel-mo1941,8erlallio. 375,521 I p I 17"Clail ns -4 (Clli18) The :objectof'this inventionis'wto provide a a subsequent m;

the r leather covered inflated bslLto' relatively exact specificationswithout recourse to the use of heavy expensive leather for its strengthandsustaining qualities and to permit the 'use of 'economic units ofleather whereby small panels can be easily fitted to the rounded surfaceor the ball' .4isaviewsimilartom2and8-showing v sw amv- "'ing completed.

Fig. 5 is an elevation of the completed L First I place in a suitablydesigned mould sumcient hot wax to form a hollow ball I with wallsandsuitably united and sccuredagainst the wear andactionoftheballinplay.Another object of this invention is to eliminate m vunleven wallthicknesses. occasioned in a prior method by the turned-in edges ofleather or lab-- 'rlc' or both inlthe ordinary stitching operations, toinsure a more, even rebound from impactat differontparts-oftheballs fAnother object isjto avoid theweakness rej I suiting from theuse ofstitching in fabricating V-.-the-bodyoftheball. is v Another object isto provide reasonably cheap 7' covered balls that will retain form andup site with the use of leather from the poorer-parts 1 of the hide,-which parts ordinarily are subject to stretch and distortion undercommon methods.

- One common-practice of making inflated balls of the class hereinreferred to consists of cutting v out from the best of the hide (for thegood balls) panels of leather of correct pattern, lining these panelswith fabric backing, machine stitchi in: the panels together inside outleaving an 1 opening large enough to reverse the ball through, Ithereafter closing said opening,with hand stitching or lace, followingthe placement of the bladder. s 4 v These methods call for carefulselection pf ma--. with a considerable by-produtt resultant from thecutting thereof which may be absorbed I is cheaper inferior playingballs or used in anapproximately 1%". thick. p Thereafter I coverthis-wax with a thin coat oirubber or similar gum; Upon that I lay.laminations of textile fabric I of suitable pattern and size, saidfabric being impregnated or coated with rubber .orsimilar materialcapable of bonding the parts toi 15' gether. This fabric may be in theform of strips of panels overlapping or crossing each other and cementedtogether. This fabricis laid firm and tight on the'wax ball. all ofwhichare of Juniform mould. Thereafter I cut a hole or slit 0 in thefabric of 'aboutk one inch in extent and throughthewanthrohwhichis'passedasteam' nozzle and the wax melted out for reuse leav'-.

ing' a uniformly formed fabricated foundation member. At this stage Iinsert the bladdermember b withifs valve and I then close the hole orslit in the case with'a suitable This patch is applied by the use of avulcanizing cement toreinforce this part of the ball from the strain ofinternal pressure. Due to the overlapping of the 0 various fabric partsa rough unevenrform results.

' I therefore cover thisfoundation member with a thin sheet of'rubber, Iand subject it in a mold to a quick forming cure during which therubberflows and fills the uneven parts. This produces smooth rubberisuriacedball ready to receive its leather veneer 4. This veneer or outer layeror covering consists of leather pieces, preferably three or more innumber, selectedsor color and weight, all pieces being split or ved'toeven 3 other c ss merchandise- 1 6 hnd standard thicknesses, which arenow laid on a I proposeto overcome the objections of present. 7 therubber mace ma mace hem prepared d manufacture by the fo w novel methods'with-a suitable cement, the inside surf-ace and ,whichi have-selec e aspossibly yielding the edges of leather pieces being most uniform resultswithout recourse to The pieces of leather are butted edgewise closelyskilled labor. s l he to another; The covered ball is noFfiiacedIntbedrawinn': f inamoid'foritsnnalmomdinson rationandall 1 is a viewofa of thezballstrucparts of the integrally bonded together unture builtupon a form of wax, the view. heinsv der moderateheat;

v partly in elevation. and D in B The leather pieces may be skivedtoproduce .l 'ig. 2 shows another stase in the Prom. only bevelled edgeswhich may berolled downln bondof the ball, ssthus far formed, beins edrelation with the underlying rubber mass,

m my; being. gestion, the wax form r This is not claimed herein butforms the subject l harm ess removed fromthe interior or the 7 matter ofmy copending application Serial No.

* am. in ssm letsaz. V a 203.915, med s in 23;,1933.

rig. 3;is,a view similar tol'ig; 2, but so Theinvention is not limitedto the specific 'tion wall.

steps mentioned. Thus instead of ironing the leather pieces onto thefoundation by a molding operation, this can be done by the applicationof external air packs. Nor do I limit myself to the specific kind ofinitial removable base upon which the textile material is fabricated toproduce the foundation as a removable ball like base other than wax maybe employed.

1 do not limit myself to the use of woven textile fabric.

able. 7

Any desired form of filling valve may be used. It has the capacity toclose automatically when the filling nozzle is withdrawn after the ballhas been inflated.

Access to the valve is had through an opening in the patchand'superposed layers of rubber and leather.

Briefly stated the method involves the following steps. a

The application of textile fabric pieces in more or less overlapping orcrossing relation to the rubber or similar gum coated surface of ahollow form of wax, said laminations being. impregnated with materialfor bonding them together; cutting an opening or slit in said textilewall and the wax form; melting out the wax by a steam nozzle introducedthrough said opening, inserting a bladder through said opening andinflating it,said bladder having a self closing valve of any known form;placing a reinforcing patch over the opening in the said fabric wall,except for a small opening necessary to allow access to be had to thevalve; applying a coating to the rough or uneven surface of thelaminated or built up textile wall capable of filling the depressions insaid wall and of producing a, smooth exterior surface; subjecting theball as thus far produced to a quick forming cure in a mold to make saidcoating flow for producing said exterior surface; and then cementingleather pieces in edge to edge relation to the said smooth exteriorsurface of the inflated foundation, in a molding operation underpressure and moderate heat to integrally bond said The coating of rubberwhich is applied to the fabric foundation, desirably, may consist ofsheet rubber in the form of two cups, which, while of generalhemispherical shape, are slightly short of reaching to the trueequatorial line, or, in other words, are spaced apart slightly at theiradjacent edges, and are connected with each other by a. center band ofrubber overlapping the edges of the cups. I

I claim: I 1. The hereindescribed steps in a method of producing aninflated ball consisting inbuilding vup a textile wall of the ball upona form, reducing and removing the material of said form through anopening in the said wall, inserting a bladder through said well openinginto the ball thus far formed, applying rubber material to the.

exterior of said textile walLvulcanizing the ball thus far formed in amold to unite the rubber material to the textile wall and produce asmooth even exterior surface, then uniting leather panels with therubber exterior of the ball by heat 4 and pressure, substantially asdescribed.

2. Steps in the method according to claim together with the additionalstep of applying a patch to the opening in the textile wall after. the

bladder has been inserted, the said step of applyin: rubber material tothe exterior of' the textile w ll includin app yin Said rubber materialalso The fabric is relatively non-stretch-.

leather pieces-to the foundato the exterior of the patch, substantiallyas described.

3. Steps in a method of making an inflated ball comprising applyingunsewn pieces of textile material outside out to a substantially rigidform together with bonding material to provide a textile carcass,reducing and removing the material of the form from the carcass, andinserting a bladder in its place and inflating the bladder.

against the interior of the carcass, curing the carcass and applying acover to the carcass.

4. Steps in a method of making inflated play-- ing balls comprisingforming an .unsewn carcass with a substantially unstretchable wallincluding textile fabric applied outside out, together with bondingmaterial upon a rigid form, reducing and removing the material of saidform'through an opening in thecarcass, curing said carcass in a mold,and then completing the formation of the .ball by cementing a. cover onthe carcass and subjecting the ball to a molding operation underpressure and moderate heat, substantially as described.-

' 5. Steps ina process of making an inflatable game ball comprisingbuilding an unsewn carcass by applying laminations of textile materialand bonding material upon a substantially rigid integral form ofreducible material and of a predetermined size and shape, in an.assembly to produce a composite non-stretchable flexible wall, reducingthe material of said form and removing it through an openingjn saidcarcass, s'ealing the opening to resist internal pressure and preventdistortion of the wall at this point and' curing the components of thewall into a substantially homogeneous. body, substantially as described.

. relation to the form to prevent slippage of the initial layer in saidrelationship.

6. Steps in a method according to claim 5 together with the additionalstep of cementing cover material in unstitched sections to the nonstretchable .carcass which previously has been inflated to receive saidcover material.

V '7. Steps in a process of making an inflatable ball according to claim5 in which the initial layer of textile material is laid in an adhesive8. Steps in a process of making an inflatable ball according to claim 5in which the initial layer of textile material is laid in an adhesiverelation to the form and each succeeding layer is laid in adhesiverelationship one to another to stantially as described.

10. Steps in a process according to claim 5 with which a bladder isemployed to inflate the carcass, said bladder having been insertedfollowing the removal of the reduced material composing the integralform.

11. Steps in a method of making an inflatable game ball comprisingbuilding a non-stretchable carcass of laminations of textile fabric laidupon" a rigidi'orm of fusible material, melting the form and removingthe melted material from the carcass through an opening therein,applying n patch to said opening to close the same inflating the carcass.to the shape and size it acquired from the rigid form, and cementing acover of pieces of sheet material to the carcass and over the patchthereof, substantially as described.

12. Steps in a method of making an inflatable game. ball according toclaim-11 inwhich the first lamination of textile fabric is securedadhesively to the fusible form and the Subsequent layer or layers arebonded to the first layer, substantially as described. v

' 13. Steps in a method of making an inflatable game ball comprisingbuilding a. non-stretchable carcass of textile fabric upon a hollowrigid form of homogeneous material, reducing the material of the form toa condition for the removal of said material from the carcass, throughan opening therein, closing said opening by a patch cemented in place,inflating the carcass to the limit determined by its non-stretchablecharacter to the shape and sizev acquiredfrom the rigid form, andcementing pieces of sheet material to the carcass and over the patchthereof to form a cover, substantially as described.

14. Steps in a method of making an game ball according to claim 13 inwhich the first lamination of textile fabric is secured adhesively tothe form, and the subsequent lamination is bonded to the first, thereduction of the material of the form separatingit fromits adherentrelation to the carcass, substantially as described.

15'. Steps in a process of making an inflatable game ball consisting inapplying a coating of admaterlal capable of reduction, building acarcass inflatable I hesive material to a rigid form, which form is of,

by applying textile material to the'form to be held by said adhesivematerial against slippage, during the building operation, said textilematerial having associated therewith material for bonding it into ahomogeneous non-stretchable wall, reducing the form and removing itsreduced material from the carcass as built up thereon, inserting abladder through an opening in the carcass, closing the opening,inflating the bladder, vulcanizing the carcass and cementing coverpieces to the exterior of the carcass and over the closed opening,substantially as described.

16. A process according to claim 15 in which after the cover pieces areapplied to the carcass the ball is subjected to pressure and moderateheat, substantially as described.

17. A method of making a hollow, inflatable playing ball which comprisesforming a wall by laying sections of fabric material upon an innersupport with the marginal edges of the fabric material'in overlappingrelation with each other so that thickened seams are formed, applying arubber coating over the entire outer surface of the fabric, and curingthe wall in a mold with heat applied externally and pressure appliedinternally ofthe wall, so that the rubber coating will flow and'thethickened seams will be em- "bedded in the rubber coating, the intemaland external surfaces of the wal being smooth and free of protuberancesso that the wall is of uniform thickness throughout.

MILTON B. REACH.

